Genuine repentance - if you can fake that you'll avoid getting disfellowshipped

by slimboyfat 48 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Rattigan350

  The USA is divided into 3 branches of government. Legislative, Executive and judicial. That is because any one branch can not be trusted with the power to do more. Balance of power and checkes and balances.

  However Jehovah is all three things. Lawmaker, King and Judge. That is because he can be trusted to be perfect.

  The elders are the lawmakers in that they make the rules on what can get one disfellowshipped.

  They are the executive in that they are the police and investigators of the "crimes", and then the prosecutors.

  They are the judges in that they decide guilt or innocence and then repentance within a JC.

  Those elders have no balance of power. Nothing to check their power.

  They have usurped Jehovah's position in being all and all powerful.
• 

  flamegrilled

  Number of factors since OP.

  Elders' school since then has strongly suggested an interpretation of repentance as sometimes being unobtainable if they have wandered too far off the path. This is regardless of the theatrics that they may display at the JC (even if genuine).

  It makes the whole "no automatic disfellowshipping" statement in the KS book a mockery, since there sometimes is NO way to avoid DF according to the standard they set.

  They also impress the order of how much weight they attach to the following as:

  1) Protecting Jehovah's name (67%)

  2) Protecting the congregation (32.5%)

  3) Helping the individual (0.5%)

  Okay, so the % are made up by me, but the order is not, and depending on the commitee the % may not be far off either.

  When Jesus gave the parable of leaving the 99 sheep to recover the lost 1 he probably never forsaw the "better" theocratic arrangement to come.
• 

  Apognophos

  You know what's interesting about the lack of mercy being shown in many DFing stories we've heard on JWN? When someone at a company screws up and the screw-up is known publicly, the company often fires them just to avoid controversy. Sometimes they didn't even mess up badly, but someone complained that they said something offensive. Doesn't matter, they're gone, and the company is already washing their hands of the incident. It's a way for them to "make a statement" about where they stand on something, in order to save face. Now, if someone only screws up privately, well... we've all worked at companies where there's a guy who perpetually screws up everything he touches, and everyone internal to the company knows it, and somehow he still holds onto his job.

  So then we have the judicial situation at the Kingdom Hall: if you screw up and it's not widely publicized, you get reproved privately, or at worst publicly, and lose some privileges for a while. Not a big deal. If what you did is in the local newspaper, well, you're pretty much up Disfellowshipping Creek without a paddle. Anyone else see any similarities? Not only Jesus, but even Chuck Russell would be spinning in his grave to find out that the religious movement he founded now works just like a compassionless corporation that treats its members as expendable resources.
• 

  JimmyPage

  My wife felt guilty about our premarital fun and so we ended up in a judicial meeting. I read the elder's manual before I went so I knew exactly what they wanted to hear. My wife knew I didn't believe in "the truth" anymore so I think she was shocked that I wasn't disfellowshipped. She probably thought the holy spirit would kick in and expose me as an evil apostate but it never happened. I got a slap on the wrist and went on with my life.
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  My wife knew I didn't believe in "the truth" anymore so I think she was shocked that I wasn't disfellowshipped. She probably thought the holy spirit would kick in and expose me as an evil apostate but it never happened. I got a slap on the wrist and went on with my life..

  Still, I bet she was able to excuse away their "error" --- errrr ---- I mean the error of the Holy Spirit.

  Doc
• 

  JWdaughter

  SBF went back, didn't he? I wonder how it is all working out for him?
• 

  berrygerry

  Hey JimmyPage.

  Ain't it grand having a threesome with the GB.
• 

  berrygerry

  “Sincerity - if you can fake that, you've got it made."

  George Burns

  One of my favourite quotes for latter-day (JW) elders.
• 

  stillin

  Yes, it seems that SBF has "returned to the fold." Back to his original question, if personal pride was the only thing preventing a person from attaining true joy and happiness, it would be much easier to put oneself aside and go for it, wouldn't it Be? But bowing before some self-appointed, self-righteous Judicial Committee when you have deep concerns about the reality of Watchtower's claims to be the one and only "truth" would be much more difficult, IMO.